Bumper for automobiles



March 22 1927.

G. NIGRO BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 27, 1926 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

: -GAETAI\TO NIGR0,=JOE 'JTHOMESONVILLE, .CONNECTICUT.

: BUMPER .I OB ..AUTOI\EOBILES.

.Application filed May 27,

-.iI /Iy.inventin relates .to improvements in devicesdesignedi to be, locatedat the front .ends of. automobiles for, the; purpose of receiving impacts and protecting other parts of the machines from the force thereof, in

the event ofhcadon collisions, and consists generally of certainpecullar cas ngs adapted to.be rigidly attached to the side beamsof the frameor chassis of. an automobile, bars or plungers shdrngly arranged in said (as e,ings, and provided-at their front ends with a cross-bar, expansion and contraction v springs -for said plungers, and safety mechanisins or devicesffor setting the brakes of the...1n a.chine and shutting off the fuel supply from. the engine, which devices have .operatingparts locatedin the pathsof said plunger-s, and include resetting means, together with such other parts and members as nayibe necessary or desirable in order to render the bumper. complete and serviceable Lin every respect,.al1 as hereinafterset forth.

Thesafety devices mentioned above are aulxiliary elements which .-may, be, omitted -.of the bnmpernaslan impactreceiving elemen-t; ,nerertheless, I prefer to add said:

devices and thereby utilize certain inherent :characteristi".s of theac-tion of the bumper f .proper, which otherwise .wouldbe lost-or 1926. Serial No. 111,975.

Other objects andadvantages Willappear 1n the course of the followingidescription.

I attain the objects and secure: the advantages of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, innvhich-- i V;

2 Figure 1 is. an isometric.view, witlr. parts brokenan ay, of a bumper which embodies a practical form of my" invention; 2, a

longitudinal, vertical section through one Side portion or sect on ofsa d bumper QFiQ'. 3, an enlarged, cross sectlon through said section of the bumper .Fig. 4, an enlarged,

central, vertical section through. one of the safety devices; Fig. 5,a sideelevation of said device, with the lock pin case in partial section, and, Fig. 6, anedgeview of-certz iin of the members which constitute iparts of said device.

. Similar reference charactersdesignate similar parts throughout the several views.

In Figs. 1 and 4 are shown'at. Ifragm'entary portions of the side ,beams of 1; chassis.

llnl the presentexample the beams l consist'of withoutiaffecting any way the eti'iciency I ,beam 1, by anysuitable neansgsuch asbolts 2, is a casing 3 havinggantheouter side thereof, in the longitudinal center, a slot 4:. The

.wasted; to; the end that. a much greater d9 agreeofsafety and security or protection is obtained from-damage and. danger.

.Jneobject of my invention is to produce :1:comparatively simple and inexpensive apj.)liance,- which .canreadily be atta-"hed to the chassis ofanautomobile, and when. so attached, is capable of yielding underspring pressure, when meeting resistance at the .front end, whereby breakage and damage .are, prevented 01% reducedlto the minimum, and the, shock and ar :OfmCOlllSlOIl are in measure absorbed.

Another objectis to provide, in connection avith such. aebumper, .means-cfor automati- .callysetting .the bra-kes. and stopping the, en-

;rine of the automobilein the event an obtis struck. by .said'bumper andthe force of lthe blow. forces the movable parts of the bumper rearwardly A further ob ect is to provide convenient .n'ieans for resetting thesafety, devices: after ;they have been operated by the ,inoving. parts offthe bumper.

rearend of each casing 3. is closed by, means of. a perforated cap .5."{Mountedon and secured to each case=3 over. the slotA' therein is a housing 6. Each capbcloses the rear end-ofthe contiguous housing G, as \vellas that of the contiguous casing'fiandthe front end of said housing is closed neansf'of a perforated cap-plate '1'. ,Which ispreferably made of rubber. 'EilCl1 'C1P-'])ll.t6 Talsocx tends over the forward end. of one of the casings 3 as \vellas overthe.corresponding end of the housing 6 ,mounted.on the cas ng,

and isrsecured to said casing and housing. Pro ecting from the outer side of each casin g3, alternately above and below the: slot 4 therein, are'pins 8.

v A cross-bar 9. is rigidly attached to the front endsof two plungers. lOvvhich are slidingly arranged in the casings 3, .suclf bars passing through the cap-plates 7 at the for- I ward-endof said, casings, anddiaving projec- 131011.901 tall-pieces ll attheir, rear terminals that pass throughfthe perforati ons in the caps 5. Projecting fori vardly from theouter side of each plungerilO I andextending through the slot 4 in its casing 3 are a plurality of pins 12. Each pin 12 is adjacent to one of the pins 8.

On each side of the bumper, each pin 8 and the next adjacent pin 12 have the opposite ends, respectively, of a spiral spring 13 attached thereto. The number of these springs and the pins to which they are attached may vary. A. spiral spring 14 encircles each tail-piece 11 within the casing 3 in which said tail-piece is located, between the cap 5 on said casing and a shoulder 15 at the junction of said tail-piece with its plunger 1().

Normally the springs 13 are in contracted, and the springs 14 in expanded conditions, and the plungers 10 are held in their forward position and with the cross-bar 9 some dis tance from the end-plates 7, by said springs, when force is applied to the cross-bar 9 sufiicientto overcome the resistance of the springs 13 and 14. the plungers 10 are actuated rearwardly in the casings 3 as far as said springs permit, or until said cross-bar is checked in its rearward movement by the end-plates '7. The rearward movement of the plungers 10 causes the springs 13 to expand and the springs 14 to contract. Upon the removal of the pressure from the cross-bar 9. the springs 13 and 14 immediately act to move the plungers 10 with said cross-bar forward into their initial and normal positions again, said first-named springs then contracting and said second-named springs expanding. As the plungers 10 move in their casings 3 the pins 12 travel in the slots 4.

By employing springs that simultaneously expand and contract when the plungers 10 are forced rearwardly, a uniform and balanced action is insured, and means is provided for absorbing completely in most instances the shock and jar of an impact between the cross-bar 9 and an object in front of the same. The resistance of the springs increases, of course, as the plungers 10 continue to move rearwardly.

In order to utilize my bumper as a medium for setting the vehicle brakes and stopping the engine at the time the bumper is operated, I provide mechanisms or devices to cooperate with or be operated by the tailpieces 11. By providing two of these safety devices I reduce to the minimum the liability or possibility even of failure to stop the machine upon almost the instant the movable parts of the bumper are forced rearwardly by front-end collision. For the sake of convenience and since both safety devices are alike, I shall describe in detail but one of them.

In Fig. 1 is represented at 16 a rod which it is assumed is connected with the brakes of the machine. and adapted when moved forard to set said brakes; and at 17 is represented a Wire which it is assumed is connected with the fuel supply to the engine, and adapted when actuated rearwardly to shut off such supply. In Figs. 1 and 5 is represented at 18 a resetting wire to which further reference will presently be made. The rod 16 and the wires 17 and 18, or the parts thereof that are herein shown, are located inside of one of the beams 1, and they are duplicated inside of the other beam.

Secured by means of bolts 19, or other means, to the inner face of the vertical part of either of the beams 1 is a rectangular plate 20. Passing through the center of the plate 20 and through the aforesaid vertical part of the beam 1 is an axial member in the form of a pin 21. The outer terminal portion of the pin 21, in front of said beam 1, is screw-threaded to receive a nut 22. The pin 21 has at the inner end a head Loosely mounted on the pin 21 inside of the plate 20 is a clutch member 24, and loosely mounted on said pin inside of said clutch member is a second clutch member 25, said clutch members having teeth on their adjacent faces to interengage with each other. The pin 21 is turned down to form a shoulder 41 (Fig. 4), and nut 22 clamps the beam 1 and the plate 20 between itself and said shoulder whereby said pin is held againstendwise movement. The clutch member 25 has a slot 26 in and extending across the full diameter of the inner face thereof, and received in said slot and secured to said 1nemher, by means of a plurality of bolts 27, is an operating bar 28. The pin 21 passes through the bar 28. The bar 28 normally stands upright, and at its upper end extends inwardly and then downwardly to form a lug 29 in which is a Vertical slot 30 to receive the brake rod 16. Secured to the brake rod 16 directly in front of the lug 29 is a collar 31. Obviously, if the bar 28 be rocked on the pin 21 in the direction to swing the lug 29 forwardly, the collar 31 must be carried with said lug and takes with it the brake rod 16. The bar 28 at the bottom extends outwardly and then upwardly to form a lug 32 which is directly behind the tail-piece 11 on the same side with said lug. The lug 32 is retained in contact with the tail-piece 11, and said lug and the bar 28 with the lug 29 are maintained normally in an approximately vertical position by means of a spiral spring 33 that has one end secured to said bar near the bottom thereof and the other end secured to the adjacent beam 1 forward of said bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Since the wire 17 is attached to the bar 28 below the pin 21, said wire is drawn rearwardly when said bar is rocked by the tail-piece 11.

A spring 34 is interposed between the clutch member 25 and the pin head 23, and tends to force said clutch member, which will - iswicapable of moving: lELtBI'fiJHYhODdl-llGl pin 21, toward the clutch member. and to: re-

tain the clutch-member teeth in engagement "zith each other.

In the horizontal.diametrical center of the inner :ztace of: thei plate:20,andeopen1ng :through: the front edge thereof, is a :groove 35 :1andarranged at intervals 111 the outer "face 01" the clutch: memhen24g andwopemng through the periphery thereof, are" radial grooves 36, each of sauhgrooves 35 and 36 dieingsemi-circular inv crosssection, and approximatelyequal to one-halt o'fthe diameter oi the horizontalelo'ck .pin 37. that is located 1 in said i "first-named :groove. and

adapted to enter any 0% said: secondrnamed lgrooveswhich inay be'located directly in front or" the first-named .groove see: Figs.

aand 6. i The construction and arrangement oi'. parts are su'clr'that; normally the-bar 28 retai ed in an approximately vertical position aswpre'viously observed, and, when said bar is so positioned and the teeth .of the clutch niembers :24 and 25 are in-"full engagement, one-oi;the.:grooves 351111 the clutch inemberQa; is positioned to formwith the groove 35 a complete passage or opening to: receive: the innei terminal portion .of the pin 31, ands-a dwpin lain-said opening and locks said clutch memb'erQt to the plate I and prevents the 1 former from rotating.

But upon drawing; the pin- 37 outwardly, against the resiliency ot the spring 38, until. said pin is cleaner the clutch member 24-,

- said memberis: released and 1 free "to rotate on the p1n 21.

A case' 39 is secured to the front edge'of theplate QOyand thespringBS andia portion of the pin '37 are located in said case, as shown in -Fig 5.

case 39, and through the tront end of said case, which end i is perforated to accominodatc'said pin. "Thewire 18 has one-end attached to the protrudingterminal-clthe pin 'lhat-part of the pinifiz that is in the case 39 is provided with a cross-psece l0,

and the sorin 38 is interposed between the supplytrom theengine. 'W' hen the barQS is rocked on' the pin 21 in the manner just eX- plainech it carries with it the clutch member The pin 37 extends "illODhtllB groove 35-111 the plateQO into the 7 to which 1 saidabar is rigidly. attached; and, owing toi thewrelativei nrangzementiiof the clutch-member;teeth;and the fact; ithatwthe clutch-1ne1nber 24-;isihelcllagainst rotationby athe pin 37, saiclifirst-na1nedclutch member i--isl forced inwardly on said pin; ;against-the resiliency ofltlie springfid the teeth (fisaid first named c clutch -1ne1nber then riding over 1 the teeth of saidxsecondmamed clutch member. 1 The slot ;;ina the :lngv29is i1arge enough toaperinit the -:bar:28 toimove inwardly. and outwardly; withthe clutch (member 25 on the pin 21, withoutinterference from (the brake-rod '16.

Atuthe .endof the" operationsjust described, the bar. 28 isidisposedwobliquelyand held in such'iposition-by the now intermeshing clutchanembenteeth, and it-is necessary to rese tssaid baryon to restore it to an apiiproximately iupright position. To reset the 1 bar 28, the wire.- 18 is pulledto withdraw the v pinf-ET, against theresilienoy ot'ethe spring 38,- fronilthe groove-36 tinwhichssaidipin is --lo'cated,-when the spring acts to rock said bar *into an approximately vertical i position again the ban and clutch members 25 and 24 all partially rotating on the pin :21. When the bar=28 is once more erect and the lug 32 strikes lllIQt-Ql'ITIJiGCQ 11in front,

- it being assumed that said tail-ipiece is, now

win its forwards position,the wire 18- is re- I leased and the spring 38 actuates the pin-:37 into; the groove 36 that vhas: arrivedy-in: p0si- -tion to form with the .g-roove a complete openingwforisaidapin.. The resetting of the :safety "device releases, the; brake: rod 16 and theshu-tsofi Wire l'lz'and'; enables them; to assuine theiriinacti-vepositions; andsaid device is -left: in-readi-nessrfor arepetition oflthe operations previously described.

1dore0rless change in the'shape, .siZe,'c011- stru'ction, and;- arrangement :ofsome: or. 1 all chills :parts 20f this bumper, lIl-i addition to those; hereinbeforewspeci tically: pointed out,

may beiniade'withoutndepairting from the mp1 7 iof nyinventionvor exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

flhe bumper, without the, safetys devices liltlyr jfib applied to: theirears as: well to the l'ront end ofran automobileeither or both. il hat l claim as'iniy invention, and desireto secure byziLetters Patent, is-

lfThe conibinatiomiin. a: bumper for auto- =1neloiles; with zcasings adapted to be attached. to" a chassis, plnngers; slidingly arranged in said:easings, and a cross-barmat the front ends: of aidplungers; of: springs laterally disposed relativento said casings-wand said plungerag and adaptedwhen: expanded to 1 act on said plungers-to force the-1n for-ward ly; and springs axially disposed relative to said:plungers, and adaptedwhen contracted also to act on said' plungers to forcewthem 'forwar dly.

The combination, in abumper for automobiles, with casings adapted to be attached to a chassis, said casings having longitudinal slots therein and capped rear ends, and being equipped with pins adjacent to said slots, of plungers slidingly arranged in said casings and equipped with pins that project into said slots, a cross-bar at the front ends of said plungers, springs each having one end attached to one of the casing pins and the other end attached to one oi. the plunger pins, and springs interposed between the rear ends of said casings and the rear ends of said plungers.

The combination, in a bumper for automobiles, with casings adapted to be attached to a chassis, said casings having longitudinal slots therein and capped rear ends, and being equipped with pins adjacent to said slots, and housings over the slotted sides of said casings, oi plungers slidingly arranged in. said casings and equipped with pins that project into said slots, a cross-bar at the front ends of said plungers, springs each having one end attached to one of the casing pins and the other end attached to one oi? the plunger pins, said springs being in said housings, and springs interposed between the rear ends of said casings and the rear ends of said plungers.

4-. The combination, in a bumper for automobiles, with casings adapted to be attached to a chassis, said casings having longitudi- Qal slots therein and capped rear ends, and being equipped with pins adjacent to said slots, housings over the slotted sides of said casings, and perforated end plates attached to the front ends or said casmgs and housings, of plungers slidingly arranged in said casings and end plates and equipped with pins that project into said slots, a cross-bar at the front ends of said plunger-s, springs each having one end attached to one of the casing pins and the other end attached to one of the plunger pins, said springs being in said housings, and springs interposed between the rear ends of said casings and the rear ends of said plungers.

5. The combination, in a bumper for automobiles, with casings adapted to be attached to a chassis, said casings having longitudinal slots therein and perforated caps at the rear ends, and being equipped with pins adjacent to said slots, of plungers slidingly arranged in saidcasings and having ta lpieces which extend into the perforations in said caps, and being equipped with pins that project into said slots, a cross-bar at the front ends of said plungers, springs each having one end attached to one of the casing pins and the other end attached to one of the plunger pins, and springs interposed between the rear ends of said casings and rear end portions of said plungers.

6. The combination, with an automobile bumper comprising casings attachable to a chassis, and forwardly spring-pressed plungers extending through said casings, and provided at their front ends with a crossbar, of a plate also attachable to said chassis, an axial member supported by said plate, a clutch member mounted on said axial member, a second clutch member mounted on aid axial member and being laterally movable thereon, said clutch members having inter-engaging teeth, a bar secured to said second clutch member, and having a lug in the path of a part at the rear end of one of said plungers, and a lug adapted to perate a brake rod, a spring arranged normally to retain said second clutch member with its teeth in engagement with the teeth of said first-named clutch member, yielding means normally to retain said bar with said first-named lug in operative position relative to said plunger rear-end part, and means to hold said lirst-nained clutch member against rotation and release it for rotation.

7. The combination, with an automobile bumper comprising casings attachable to a chassis and forwardly spring-pressed plungers extending through said casings, and provided at their front end with a cross bar, of a plate also attachable to said chassis, an axial member supported by said plate, a clutch member mounted on said axial member, a second clutch member mounted on said axial member and being laterally movable thereon, said clutch members having intcrengaging teeth, a bar secured to said second clutch member, and having a lug in the path of a part at the rear end of one of said plungers, and a lug slotted to receive a brake rod and adapted to engage a collar on said rod, a spring arranged normally to retain said second clutch member with its teeth in engagement with the teeth of said first-named clutch member, yielding means normally to retain said bar with said first-named lug in operative position relative to said plunger rear-end part, and means to hold said first-named clutch member against rotation and release it for rotation.

8. The combination, with an automobile bumper comprising casings attachable to a chassis, and forwardly spring-pressed plungers extending through said casings, and provided at their front ends with a crossbar, of a plate also attachable to said chassis, and having therein a groove, an axial member supported by said plate, a clutch member mounted on said axial member, and having therein grooves adapted to be located individually in operative position relative to said first-named groove, a spring-pressed pin arranged in said first-named groove to enter a passage formed by said first-named groove and any of said second-named grooves to lock said clutch member to said plate, a second clutch member mounted on said axial member, said clutch members having interengaging teeth, a brake-setting and a fuel shut-oil bar secured to said second clutch member, said bar having a lug in the path of a part at the rear end of one of said plungers, a spring arranged normally to retain said second clutch member with its teeth in engagement with the teeth of said first-named clutch member, and yielding means normally to retain said bar With said first-named lug in operative position relative to said plunger rear-end part.

GAETANO NlGRO. 

